May is a very busy month in music history:
- The 67th anniversary of Sharon Jones was on May 4
- U2′s Bono celebrated his 63rd birthday on May 10
- The Afghan Whigs‘, The Gutter Twins‘ and The Twilight Singers‘ Greg Dullicelebrated his 58th birthday on May 11
- The 95th anniversary of Burt Bacharach‘s birth was on May 12
- Stevie Wonder celebrated his 73rd birthday on May 13
- Talking Heads frontman David Byrne celebrated his 71st birthday on May14
- Nine Inch Nails creative mastermind Trent Reznor celebrates his 58th birthday on May 17
- The legendary bluesman Taj Mahal celebrated his 81st birthday on May 17
- The Who‘s Pete Townshend celebrated his 78th birthday on May 19
- The Ramones‘ Joey Ramone was born 72 years ago on May 19
- Grace Jones celebrated her 75th birthday on May 19
- Biggie was born 51 years ago on May 21
- The Isley Brothers‘ Ronald Isley celebrated his 82nd birthday on May 21
- The 109th anniversary of Sun Ra‘s birth was on May 22
- The 56th anniversary of Heavy D‘s birth was on May 24
- Cameo’s frontman Larry Blackmon celebrated his 67th birthday on May 24
Sun Ra Arkestra‘s Marshall Allen celebrates his 99th — 99th, y’all! — birthday today. Allen has been a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra since the 50s, recording exclusively with the band from 1958 until Sun Ra’s death in 1993. Since Sun Ra’s death, Allen has been leading the intergalactic jazz outfit while periodically recording as a sideman and leader of various side projects.
So let’s wish the legend a very happy birthday! And may there many, many, many more!